August 31, 2019 is ISKCON guru Srimad Gour Gobinda Swami Maharaj’s 90th holy appearance day, which is being observed in the ISKCON centres all over the world. Centrally, the day is observed at ISKCON, Bhubaneswar.

Gurudev was born in the village of Jagannathpur in Jagatsinghpur district, Odisha. His mother was Pata Mahadei and father Iswar Ch Manik. His childhood name was Brajabandhu. As morning shows the day, his quality was evident from his childhood. What he heard once, he remembered forever.

He was so talented that he analysed Gita, Bhagabata, Chaitanya Charitamruta at the age of eight and gave sermons to people at his village temple. He had his high school study staying in his uncle’s house at Gadeigiri.

His two uncles Jagannath Giri and Gopinath Giri took care of his studies. He became a teacher to maintain his family.

Also he continued his study during that period. He passed with Distinction in Bachelor degree in 1958 and postgraduate degree in 1961. He married Basanti Debi, daughter of Kalyan Nandi of Patkura in Kendrapada district in 1953. He resigned from Government service.

He took a deep darshan of his main deity of uncle’s house, Gopal Jew, took his permission and left the house on April 10, 1974.

He declared himself Gour Gopal instead of Brajabandhu. He started travelling from city to city all over India and searched for his spiritual guru. He arrived at Vrindavan, where he visited temples, spiritual organisations.

At last, he met founder Acharya of ISKCON Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad. Prabhupad asked him, “Gour Gopal, have you taken Sannyas?” As he replied no, Prabhupad said, “I will give you Sannyas.” Gour Gopal accepted Prabhupad as his spiritual master.

Prabhupad directed him to translate “Back to Godhead” into Hindi and was satisfied with his translation and his depth is Hindi literature. Prabhupad then asked him to translate his English writings into Hindi.

As per Prabhupad’s direction, Gurudev proceeded to Mayapur, West Bengal. Prabhupad gave him ‘Harinam’ initiation and changed his name to Gour Govinda. Four months later, Prabhupad gave him ‘Brahmin’ initiation and asked him to stay at Nayapalli, Bhubaneswar and construct a new temple there in  the donated land of Chhabi Kanungo.

A Sri Krishna Balaram Mandir was inaugurated at Vrindavan in 1975. On the same Tithi, Prabhupad named him Gour Govinda Swami by giving him ‘Sannyas’ initiation. His preaching programme in ‘Krishna Consciousness’ spread internationally.

He visited countries like the United States, England, Russia, Canada, Western nations, South Africa, Australia and Indonesia.

While travelling in important cities of India, he created thousands and thousands of followers. He constructed a lotus temple in the premises of ISKCON, Bhubaneswar installing the deity Radha Gopinath. It is a magnificent temple of the city.

He started a Gosala of 108 cows and a farm project at Atala, Jagannathpur, 14 km from Bhubaneswar. He started a Fasi tree project at the Daspalla forest which is essentially meant for construction of chariots for the Puri Car Festival.

He also started a Dandabhanga project at Puri district. He organised a three-day Hare Krishna Utsav at the Exhibition Ground, Bhubaneswar in which international devotees, intellectuals of ISKCON participated.

A question-answer programme of Maharaj was a most attractive one.

Questions were asked to Maharaj about ISKCON activities to which Maharaj boldly replied.

He also modernised the Alarnath Temple at Brahmagiri. At Mayapur in February 1996, he replied to the questions of disciples of Prabhupad on the appearance day of Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur about the ‘Sannyas Lila’ of Mahaprabhu Jagannath and why the Mahaprabhu stayed at Puri, what is importance of the Rath Yatra, etc. Maharaj performed his ‘Aprakata Lila’ while replying the questions.

He entered to his Aprakata Lila and Mahaprayan with his last word of his main deity Gopal. His last Lila was amazing to describe as it is not seen among other Sadhus and Sannyasis.

The writer pays his tribute to him on his appearance day. Hare Krishna!

(The writer is State PRO, ISKCON. Mob: 9132090199)